In South Asia: War and Diplomacy

The massive NATO and Afghan offensive appears to have driven the Taliban out of the city of Marjah, at least for the moment. Across the border, Pakistani and US intelligence, working together, have captured three leading Afghan insurgents all said to be close to the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar. Does that mean that the war in Afghanistan is going well, and that Pakistan has decided to cooperate with the US against the Afghan insurgents? There are no simple answers to those questions. In South Asia, apparent success can suddenly turn into a prelude to failure. Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Taliban all are divided within themselves. We look at many conflicting interests and what they could mean for the US.